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After losing the competition to acquire a majority stake in TAP Portugal during 2015, the South American conglomerate Synergy Group has turned its attention to Argentina and Mexico – two of Latin America’s most promising markets. Mexico’s domestic passenger growth continues at a steady rate, and a more liberalised era ushered in by Argentina’s new government is opening up the country’s domestic and international markets to new competitors.

Synergy is taking a sizeable stake in the Mexican regional airline Aeromar, a small player in the country’s aviation market compared with the fast-growing low cost airlines that have grown rapidly during the last few years. Synergy decided to outline plans for its stake in Aeromar just as the US presidential election casts a cloud over the Mexican market due to president-elect Trump’s protectionist rhetoric during his campaign.

Synergy’s moves in Argentina and Mexico are occurring as Avianca Holdings searches for a strategic investor and foreign entities line up to invest in Latin American airlines. For now, Synergy remains Avianca’s largest shareholder.

A transborder joint venture between SkyTeam partners Aeromexico and Delta is hanging in the balance now that the US DoT has required slot divestitures and other stipulations in order for the airlines to move forward with their proposed business agreement. Not surprisingly, Aeromexico and Delta believe limitations proposed by US regulators would diminish the economic benefits of the joint venture, and are warning they are reconsidering deepening their business ties.

Numerous airlines expressed concerns about Aeromexico and Delta’s concentration of slots at Mexico City Juarez, and the DoT responded by requiring slot divestitures at the airport along with the relinquishment of slots at New York JFK. The airlines have countered that the DoT’s analysis is flawed, and that a smaller number of slot divestitures at Juarez required by Mexico’s government should allay any concerns expressed by competitors. Aeromexico and Delta also argue another stipulation imposed by US regulators – limiting the joint venture to a five-year term – would create too much uncertainty for the viability of the business venture.

Delta’s plans to take its stake in Aeromexico up to 49% was contingent on the JV proposal succeeding. But with the stipulations imposed by DoT in order for the partners to establish their joint venture a dark cloud of uncertainty is hovering over Aeromexico’s future ownership structure.